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5 ways to reduce food waste

by: George Major
16 May 2018

It goes without saying: here at WOM Guide, we like dining out, whether at a hot new restaurant or at a random discovery around the corner. And as we move into a more eco-conscious world, it makes sense to evolve as diners, too.
So during Hong Kong’s first Conscious Festival held not long ago, we spoke to Maxime Pourrat, APAC Managing Director of Winnow Solutions, which provides technology for kitchens that helps chefs identify how much food is being wasted. We asked Pourrat how he, like the company he leads, does his part for the environment – this time, as a diner.

Pay attention
“I realise we need to pay attention to push people to make changes in the products they’re going to offer,” says Pourrat. When we ask for sustainable seafood or organic vegetables for example, he says, or seek to understand where and how food is being made, it’s an indicator of a more informed, eco-conscious market that would lead to changes in the industry. “People offering the food will have to take action, because otherwise they won’t have customers anymore.”
Normalise good food
In a call directed more towards the F&B industry than diners, Pourrat says he hopes restaurants would make sustainably sourced and produced food more affordable. “I wish more restaurants will be able to make affordable healthy food to compete with fast foods. I understand that to eat there you need to have a certain buying power," he says. “So once it becomes normal hopefully more people will produce products that are organic, healthy and sustainable.”

Be conscious of takeaway packaging
For diners and dining outlets both, being conscious of packaging goes a long way. This applies to the production of biodegradable takeaway packaging, as well as being mindful of the cutlery we consume. “When you order takeaway, they always put napkins, cutlery, and everything that we don’t need,” says Pourrat. It’s important to take only what we'll actually use.
Do food deliveries with friends
“Co-order with other people so we limit carbon footprint resulting from food deliveries,” says Pourrat.